Overview & Reviews

Chevrolet sells an impressively wide range of vehicles, from subcompact hatchbacks to huge vans and SUVs. If you're looking for a reasonably priced vehicle, odds are that Chevy will have something to fit your needs.

Chevrolet got its start in 1911. After William C. Durant had been ousted from General Motors, he joined forces with Swiss-born racecar driver Louis Chevrolet to found the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. The company's first offering was the Classic Six. Introduced in 1912, this five-passenger touring sedan could top 65 mph, fast for the time. Chevrolet's storied bowtie logo -- reportedly inspired by the wallpaper of a Paris hotel room that Durant stayed at -- made its first appearance in 1914.

By 1918, Chevrolet's profitability allowed Durant to purchase enough shares in GM to regain control. Chevrolet became another division of GM, and was its largest volume division by the mid-1920s. By 1927, Chevrolet outsold rival Ford, with sales in excess of 1 million units.

In the mid-1930s Chevrolet introduced independent front suspension, which provided a smoother ride over the rough roads of the day. The 1940s saw continued success with affordable coupes, sedans and pickup trucks catering to American families, farmers and businessmen.

By the mid-1950s, Chevrolet, GM's entry-level division, had added a V8 engine, power steering and brakes, power windows and air-conditioning to its list of available features, allowing luxury for those on a tighter budget. Around this time the iconic Bel Air model -- available in coupe, sedan, convertible and wagon body styles -- proved very popular. The company introduced its alluring Corvette in 1953; the vehicle was the first mass-produced car with a fiberglass body.

The 1960s saw the unveiling of the popular, air-cooled Corvair compact, which held the distinction of being the first domestic production car with all-around independent suspension. That decade also witnessed the launch of the compact Nova, the midsize Chevelle and the sporty Camaro, the latter Chevrolet's answer to the wildly successful Ford Mustang. The Camaro proved an instant hit, comprising 10 percent of Chevrolet's total sales in 1967, its first year of production.

In the 1970s, Chevy responded to changing preferences by introducing small cars like the Vega and the Chevette, and by downsizing larger models such as the Caprice and Malibu. The company combated the market domination of foreign nameplates in the 1980s by rolling out the Cavalier. By the end of that decade, trucks and SUVs had started to become increasingly popular with the general consumer, and the brand's mid- and full-size models continue to this day to be some of the most popular on the road.

The '90s and the early 2000s saw the company raising the performance bar with its Corvette (notably the Z06 and, later, ZR1 variants) and reincarnated Impala SS. Chevrolet's Silverado pickup truck and Tahoe/Suburban SUVs continued to be hits as well. By 2010, the Camaro had returned to the lineup after a seven-year hiatus.

Modern times have seen Chevrolet make significant improvements in its small and midsize car models and introduce the Volt plug-in hybrid. The latter provides a nearly 40-mile range on electric power alone, and adds to the company's already well-rounded lineup of cars, trucks and SUVs. Though today's marketplace is very demanding, Chevrolet seems poised to remain a power player through its affordable and innovative vehicles.

User Reviews:

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  Awesome car!!!!! - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By Lori - January 24 - 3:39 pm

  I bought my HHR in April of 09 and was just recently in an accident last week. The safety of this car is AWESOME!!! My 15 yr old daughter was with me and was saved from severe injury by the passenger side airbags and the strength of the frame. I was hit on the passenger side. I am waiting to hear from the insurance company to ti find out if I can get into another one!!

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  Super Sweet Ride - 2009 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By superspeed - January 24 - 3:26 pm

  Bought this truck a month and a half ago after test driving everything from Audi A5s to Infiniti FX35/45s to 2010 Camaro SS. My Trailblazer SS with 3SS package blows them all away. With the exception of how much time I spend at the gas station is not important because similar to other reviews, you do not buy this truck for the gas mileage. Amazing ride. Will take a Grand Chverokee SRT8 off the line and see them in the rearview in a couple of seconds. Most Mustangs GTs dont have a chance. Touch screen Nav with Bose stereo and dual climate are a nice touch. No complaints whatsoever. If you are looking for a conventional suv but arent ready to make the move this is definitely the way to go

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  Good for everything - 1999 Chevrolet Express
  By Great for everything - January 24 - 3:36 am

  I have used this van for heavy hauling, passengers, and road trips. Is better than an SUV in almost every way. More space, more seating, more comfort, and just great for everything!

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  Somewhat ordinary, but very reliable car - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By KLHoffman - January 23 - 8:44 pm

  We bought our 1999 Cavalier in 2000 when it was just over a year old. Its been a very reliable car. We now have 146,000 miles on it and it still gets us where we want to go without any problems. We just replaced the transmission this year at 141k miles, but other than that no major problems in ten years! I find the car somewhat boring to look at and drive, but with reliability like this who can complain!

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  Good for what it was bought for. - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By John - January 23 - 7:44 pm

  I bought this car yesterday with 57,735 miles. I needed a car to get me back and forth to work. I was very surprised by the acceleration, the decent ride. I know this is not a high end car, but It does what it does for a really good price. I paid $7500 and it has a 100k powertrain warranty. My toy is a 2002 Z-28 that has 400HP, and Im spoiled by the balls to the wall acceleration it has. For what I paid this thing works just fine.

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  Great Car - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Jerbo - January 23 - 2:54 pm

  I love driving the vehicle, has great handling and the best audios in any car I have been in. Will but this type or very model over and over again. The only downside is the gas mileage which is expected with a large SUV.

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  not reliableI - 2009 Chevrolet Equinox
  By chevylemon - January 23 - 11:03 am

  I have had major problems with this vehicle, the ABS light, brake light and 4 wheel drive not working light continuously appear on the dashboard. The dealer has tried to fix the problem multiple times but is unable to. The vehicle has been out of service for more than 30 days. I am trying to return it under the lemon law but GM is fighting me. I would not purchase a GM vehicle again.

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  WE LIKE IT - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By SUSAN - January 22 - 5:52 pm

  We bought this used with 14,000 miles on it, its the 5 cyl and we really like it. No problems, good pickup with enough power. easy to handle and good in snow. Now have 52,000 miles and have had no problems mechanically at all. dont like the seats with headrests when back seat is in use. other than that fine.

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  One of Two Best Cars Ive Ever Owned - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Ann - January 22 - 1:41 pm

  Ive owned five cars. One of them a Honda Accord (bought new. It was a miserable lemon.) This is one of the two best cars Ive ever owned (other was an Olds Cutlass Supreme). Reliable, runs great, no big maintenance or performance issues. Not as stylish as Id like, but I got features I never dreamed Id have on a car. Including: remote engine ignition (Ive never scrapped ice off the windshield / I can get in a warm car on a 12-degree morning), OnStar (excellent response time and personnel for flat tire / dead battery), great gas mileage, comfortable seats, great brakes, satellite radio, exact temperature control. Would buy another Malibu if I needed a new car.

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  great car - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By claimjumper - January 22 - 7:59 am

  bought this car used in 2002 with 22000 miles on it, has been best car i ever owned ,replaced intake gaskets at 90,000 miles other than reg maintenance no problems, use it as back up car for all the family now has 156,000 on it, still would take it anywhere.